How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

[minuteman62-64]

See attached front end of my trailer and boat. Boat & equipment weigh maybe 600-700 lbs. on trailer. So far I've been towing with just the winch strap to hold the bow in place. I want to add a safety chain.

How should I hook up the safety chain. Bow eye to winch post? Bow eye to trailer tongue? Do I want chain vertical from bow eye to trailer tongue or angled from bow eye to an eye on the winch post?

The winch strap has a big hook for the bow eye - doesn't leave much room for another big hook attached to the safety chain. Can I use a smaller hook for the safety chain? Can I hook the safety chain into the eye of the winch strap hook?

As you can tell, I'm starting from scratch here. Any advice/suggestions appreciated.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

especially for a small light boat, you can hook one end of the chain to the winch post at the winch (bolt it on) and then hook the safety chain through the winch strap hook. its primary purpose is to keep the boat from sliding off the trailer if the winch cog fails.

Heavier boats may address strap failure, down-ward pull, etc. but not in your case. Also, for other boats, there is the risk that the boat's bow eye will fail, thus leaving both the safety chain and strap unattached.

 

[JimS123]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

Safety chains are stoopid! You want to keep the boat from moving, not catch it after it does.

Mount a U-bolt on the tongue just aft of the spare tire. Then connect it to the bow eye with a chain and HD hook. Put a turnbuckle in between and use it to tie down the boat securely.

 

[batman99]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

Safety chains are stoopid! You want to keep the boat from moving, not catch it after it does.

Mount a U-bolt on the tongue just aft of the spare tire. Then connect it to the bow eye with a chain and HD hook. Put a turnbuckle in between and use it to tie down the boat securely.

Agree. This sounds like the best "safety chain" solution to me....

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

Agree. This sounds like the best "safety chain" solution to me....

just one turnbuckle? Why not weld a series of 3 eyes on each trailer frame, get some 4000# logging chain, and truck latch-downs in case the turnbuckle flies apart? And spot weld the bow eye to the winch stand (carry your welder with you).

It's a 600# boat, Captain Overkill.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

You'd better check the weight rating on the turnbuckle too. I went to purchase one and the highest rating I could find was around 600lbs and it was a MASSIVE turnbuckle.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

I had a winch stand break once. Yeah, I know, it was rusty and I wasn't paying a lot of attention to it. So I changed my safety chain to attach to the trailer tongue. No, I don't use a turnbuckle or chain binder or steamboat clamp. I just hook it to the bow eye for SAFETY'S sake.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

Safety chains are stoopid! You want to keep the boat from moving, not catch it after it does.

Exactly! safety chains aren't meant to keep the boat on the trailer in a bad accident. That is nearly impossible to do, doesn't matter how well you beef up the chain, the fiberglass will simply rip out the instant there is a good shock load put on it.

Safety chains are to prevent your boat from ending up off the back of the trailer when you hit a bump on the road, and your winch strap broke. You simply can't protect yourself from every possible situation past that.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

Exactly! safety chains aren't meant to keep the boat on the trailer in a bad accident. That is nearly impossible to do, doesn't matter how well you beef up the chain, the fiberglass will simply rip out the instant there is a good shock load put on it.

Safety chains are to prevent your boat from ending up off the back of the trailer when you hit a bump on the road, and your winch strap broke. You simply can't protect yourself from every possible situation past that.

How is it said?? We have a winner.
All this nonsense of using turnbuckles is just that. Nonsense. Your not hauling a load of steel down the road. A hook and chain rated for the load being hauled is just fine.(not dog chain) as i have seen used for safety chain

 

[belairbrian]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

I have a safety chain and winch strap. but with a light boat neither (mine is under 500 without motor) the bow bounces as you travel. I added a ratcheting strap that i pass through two forward cleats and secure to the trailer. Another goes across the stern. Boat no longer moves.

 

[batman99]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

When using a safety chain and turn buckle (to tighten up chain slack) is a given that "proper size / proper strength steel" will be used.

For my boat, I'm thinking this is a good solution as well. Especially since I use OB motor support (re: Transform saver bar) on my Boat trailer as well. Less boat "moving around" on the trailer (due to safety chain slack or winch gears letting go) the better. And, I don't trust the manual winch gears either….


.

 

[roscoe]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

There are plenty of heavy duty turnbuckles available.

Ratings up to 2200#, 5200#, 7200#, 10,000#, even 37,000#.

http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Riggi...buckles/3-4-x-6-Jaw-Jaw-Galvanized-Turnbuckle


http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Riggi...rnbuckles/Galvanized-Turnbuckle-Jaw-Jaw-1-X12


http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Riggi...rnbuckles/Galvanized-Turnbuckle-Jaw-Jaw-2-X24

 

[minuteman62-64]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

Found this on iboats: http://www.iboats.com/Bow-Safety-Ch...5374206--session_id.577826244--view_id.942435

No specs provided. Anybody have any info on the working strength of the entire assembly, including hook?

 

[halfmoa]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

There are plenty of heavy duty turnbuckles available.

Ratings up to 2200#, 5200#, 7200#, 10,000#, even 37,000#.

http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Riggi...buckles/3-4-x-6-Jaw-Jaw-Galvanized-Turnbuckle


http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Riggi...rnbuckles/Galvanized-Turnbuckle-Jaw-Jaw-1-X12


http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Riggi...rnbuckles/Galvanized-Turnbuckle-Jaw-Jaw-2-X24

The first and second are rated less than my winch strap, the third one is $624 and two feet long though it has a 37Klbs rating.

The point I was getting at is this: Don't go to the local farm store and buy a "heavy duty" turnbuckle. The highest rating I could find, which was the exact same as the one on my friend's 24ft Four Winns, was rated for 600 lbs and it was a foot long CLOSED. False sense of safety.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

One thousand word's

 

[JimS123]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

just one turnbuckle? Why not weld a series of 3 eyes on each trailer frame, get some 4000# logging chain, and truck latch-downs in case the turnbuckle flies apart? And spot weld the bow eye to the winch stand (carry your welder with you).

It's a 600# boat, Captain Overkill.

Your suggestions are overkill for sure. Regardless, underdesign is much worse than overdesign.

In an accident, if the boat is firmly attached to the trailer it will be subject to the dynamic forces of the accident itself. If it is able to move, it will also be subect to the kinetic forces of the forward movement. That's why a turnbuckle attached bow tie down will always be stronger than a loose safety chain, even if the chain strength is the same.

I speak from personal experience, having been rear ended at a stoplight while standing still. (with a boat attached)

Also, I can't take credit for the turnbuckle concept. The attached pic is an OEM TeeNee factory bow tie down.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

Your suggestions are overkill for sure. Regardless, underdesign is much worse than overdesign.

In an accident, if the boat is firmly attached to the trailer it will be subject to the dynamic forces of the accident itself. If it is able to move, it will also be subect to the kinetic forces of the forward movement. That's why a turnbuckle attached bow tie down will always be stronger than a loose safety chain, even if the chain strength is the same.

I speak from personal experience, having been rear ended at a stoplight while standing still. (with a boat attached)

Also, I can't take credit for the turnbuckle concept. The attached pic is an OEM TeeNee factory bow tie down.

And why doesn't the manufacture if any put this on a trailer? If any thing to protect themselves from a liability suit. Some manufactures don't even put them on.(safety chains) much less a turnbuckle. The failing point can be argued about the turnbuckle because the dynamic forces would work against the attachment points as well as the threads.The consensus behind the safety chain is just that, to absorb and not to contain the dynamic forces.It's like the bumper on the car, to absorb

 

[H20Rat]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

Again, back to the point people are forgetting... You are attaching to plastic. (fiberglass) In an accident of any large magnitude, the bow eye will rip out LONG before you have to worry about how strong your chain or turnbuckle is rated for. The chain is meant to keep your boat on the trailer, and in the case of an accident, it will absorb energy. It will not be able to keep the boat firmly in place if you decelerate from 50 mph in 5 feet, the bow eye simply isn't strong enough.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

One thousand word's

Graphic photo though I doubt a safety chain would have helped. Don't see any stern straps either!

 

[JimS123]

Re: How Should I Hook Up a Bow Safety Chain?

Again, back to the point people are forgetting... You are attaching to plastic. (fiberglass) In an accident of any large magnitude, the bow eye will rip out LONG before you have to worry about how strong your chain or turnbuckle is rated for. The chain is meant to keep your boat on the trailer, and in the case of an accident, it will absorb energy. It will not be able to keep the boat firmly in place if you decelerate from 50 mph in 5 feet, the bow eye simply isn't strong enough.

All valid statements. So what's your point? A safety chain is good enough?, or it doesn't matter anyway?, or a fimly attached chain / turnbuckle is worse?

In my case, it was years ago and my bow tie down and transom straps were all made out of 1/2" braided nylon rope, fited with S-hooks on the ends and a flip buckle to tighten it. They were all OEM factory supplied by the trailer manufacturer (Holsclaw). The guy that hit me from behind was going ~30 mph and I was standing still. The boat never left the trailer. The tongue split in half, leaving part attached to the trailer hitch. The bow eye bent over 90 degrees but never came out of the stem. The transom stayed on the rear roller and roller bunks, though the S-hooks almost straightened out, but never lost their grip.